Clasp or buckle.



G. B. ADAMS.

CLASP OR BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

INVENTOR'.

4w m w MM B COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, D. c. 1

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. ADAMS, 0F IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

CLASP 0R BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Irvington, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps or Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked there-f on, which form a part of this specification,

This invention has reference, generally, to improvements in buckles or garment clasps; and, the present invention relates, more par-2 ticularly, to a novel clamp or buckle which is especially adapted for use with suspenders, hose-supporters, and similar articles, in which practically all the parts of the clasp,

or buckle are covered by the webbing, ex-

cept the front operating plate or fingerpiece, so that the garments of the wearer are protected against rust or stains caused. by contact with any of the exposed metal parts of the clasps or buckle.

The present invention'has for its principal object to provide a novel and simple con struction of clasp or buckle for suspenders. hose-supporters, and the like, in which the;

parts of the clasp or buckle, ,when in their closed or clamped relation to the webbing; lie flat and close to the webbing, thus elimi-; nating a bulky or clumsy clasp or bucklee connection with said webbing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clasp or buckle, for the purposes above stated, which comprises a minimum number of parts of very simple con struction, the parts operating in su'ch relation to each other, so that the clasp or buckle is quickly and easily moved into its clamped or unclampedpositions, and is se-' curely maintained in either its clamped or 'unclamped position by the spring-like relation of its parts.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated,'will be clearly evident from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of my present invention in view, the said invention consist's, primarily, in the novel clasp or buckle hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrange- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Application filed February 18, 1911. Serial No. 609,377.

ments and combinations of thedevices and parts, as wellas in the details of the con struction of the same, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended to and whlch form an essential part of the said specification.

The inventlon is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face view of the novel clasp or buckle arranged upon a piece of webbing representing a portion of a pair of suspenders, the said claspv or buckle being illustrated in its unclamped position Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame, taken on line 22 in said Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a large detail view, similar to that shown in Fig. 2,

'said View representing more clearly the spring-like relation between the wireback or frame and the face-plate or front clampmg plate ofthe clasp or buckle. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, similar to that shown in Fig. 2,. but illustrating the parts of the clasp or buckle in their clamped relation; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe wire back or frame of the clasp or buckle, detached fromthe face or front plate. Fig. 6 is aface view of a slightly modified construction of clasp-or buckle, the same being illustrated in its clamped position; and Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the same.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates the webbing of a pair of'suspenders, hose-supporters, or the like, with which is arranged the novel construction of clasp or buckle made according to the principles of the present invention. The said clasp or buckle comprises a wire back injthe form of a frame 2 which consists of a lower bar made from spring-wire and being also preferably formed with a web-engaging loop 3 which inclines inwardly from the plane of said frame 2, said loop 3, however, may be omitted, if desired. The ends of the lower bar of said frame 2 are formed to provide inwardly projecting upper bars or arms' i,

the free end of each arm being provided wlth an upwardly inclined and preferably flat spring-portion or finger, as 5, said spring-portions or fingers lying in the plane" of said frame 2.

The reference-character 6 indicates a suitably formed face-plate or front clamping plate, the same being provided, if it is so desired, with a serrated clamping edge 7.

The body of the said plate (3 is provided with suitably disposed ears or lugs, as 8, which are turned or curled over so as, to provide suitable bearing-portions or pintlereceiving elements in which are rotatably mounted, the said inwardly projecting arms at of the frame 2. Connected with said faceplate or front clamping plate 6, and arranged or disposed at a proper angle thereto, is a suitable finger-piece 9, by means of which the said plate 6 can be oscillated upon the said arms 1 of said frame 2, so as to bring the said plate into its locked or unlocked positions. Suitably located upon the back of said face plate or front clamping plate 6 is a cam-like portion 10, which is arranged in such a manner, so that it is en gaged' by the said spring-portions or fingers 5 of the said arms 4 of the frame 2. Then the clasp or buckle is in its unclamped position, the pressure of the said springportions or fingers upon one side of said cam-like portion or incline 10 maintains said face-plate or front clamping plate and its fingerpiece in their raised positions, as will be clearly evident, thus bringing the parts of the buckle into their disengaged relation with the webbing for the proper adjustment of the clasp or buckle thereon. To cause said clasp or buckle to assume its clamped position, the said front clamping plate by means of its finger-piece 9, is moved or pressed downwardly, so as to cause it to turn or oscillate upon the arms 4 of said frame 2, this downward movement of the said face or front clamping plate causing the cam-like portion or incline 10 to ride or spring over the said spring-portions 5, the tension of which is thereupon caused to be exercised upon the opposite side of the said cam-like portion 10, thereby securely holding said clamping plate 6 in its clamping position, as will be clearly evident, and whereby the folds of the webbing 1 are squeezed or clamped between the said wireframe 2 and the serrated clamp-edge 7 of said plate 6. The said web-engaging loop 3, when employed, being inclined inwardly from the plane of said frame 2 also tends to further bind or hold said webbing 1, by

engaging the same and binding it against the back of said face-plate or front clamping ,plate 6, as will be clearly evident.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings, there is lllustrated therein a slightly modior fingers 14. Thereference-character 15' indicates a front clamping plate which n ay also be formed with a serrated clampi 1g edge 16. Said clamping plate 15 is provided with suitably turned or curled lugs or tongues, as 17, forming bearing-portions or pintle-receiving ears in which are rotatably mounted the said arms 13 of the wire-frame 11. The said clamping plate 15 is provided with a suitably formed finger-piece 16 and with a pressed-in portion 17, in the form of a pocket 18, with which the spring-like projections or fingers 14 co-act by being brought into retaining engagement with the inner surface-portions of said pocket, so as to maintain said front-plate and finger-piece in their clamping positions with relation to said wire frame 11 and a webbing 19.

I claim 1. A buckle comprising a back or frame formed with a lower bar and an upper bar, combined with a lever, said lever being arranged in front of said frame and pivoted to said upper bar, said lever being provided with an inwardly and downwardly extending portion forming a clamping means, the body-portion of the lever lying immediately in front of said clamping means when the buckle is in a closed position, a spring-portion on said upper bar, and means connected with the back of said lever, said means cooperating with the spring-portion on said upper bar to retain the lever in an open or closed position.

2. A buckle comprising a back or frame formed with a lower bar and an upper bar, combined with a lever, said lever being arranged in front of said frame and pivoted to said upper bar, said lever being provided with a clamping means, the body-portion of the lever lying immediately in front of said clamping means when the buckle is in a closed position, a springportion on said upper bar, and means connected with the back of said lever, said means cooperating with the spring-portion on said upper bar to retain the lever in an open or closed position.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of February, 1911.

GEORGE B. ADAMS.

Vitnesses F REDK. C. FRA'ENTZEL, FREDK. H. 1V. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

